In August 2023, I embarked on a trip to Botswana – the first time I had led a trip! I must admit, I was a bit nervous about leading such an expedition. It is quite a responsibility to take on, especially when one is a bit of a novice at this overlanding thing, as I am.
John Gale from Out There Overland Travel drew up the itinerary and made all the bookings. All that was left was to pack our stuff and hit the road. The routing took us to Khama Rhino Sanctuary for one night, then on to Kubu Island, Third Bridge in Moremi Game Reserve and then to Baines Baobab and Nxai Pan National Park.
Third Bridge was amazing! It is an unfenced camp, and we had a huge elephant bull walking through the campsite, unperturbed by human presence. Also close by was a pride of four lionesses lying in the grass less than 500m from the camp gate.
One evening Mark and Alice and I were sitting around the dying campfire in near darkness. I felt a presence to my right hand side, so I shone my torch there and about 3 metres from me was a spotted hyena! I don’t know who got more of a fright – me at seeing the hyena, him at seeing me, or Mark and Alice at my superb language!
Baines Baobab, named for the artist and explorer Thomas Baines, didn’t disappoint. We had one of the three isolated campsites, snuggled between two huge baobabs. The silence at night is complete. Unfortunately the road in isn’t the greatest, very corrugated, and your teeth feel like the fillings are rattling loose. And when it isn’t corrugated, you stand the risk of getting stuck in deep sand if your tyre pressures aren’t optimal.
The road from Savuti to Maun gave us some problems, getting stuck in the sand and doing major repairs to Dave’s trailer.
